Rail joint



March 24, 1925. 1,530,706

J. A. VANDIVIER RAIL JOINT Filed Aug. 2 1922 Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES JAMES A. VANDIVIER, 0F BAR-NSD-ALL, GKLAHQMA.

RAIL JOINT.

Application'fi led August-24, 1922. Serial No. 584,080.

To all w/wm'z't may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES A. VANDIVIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Barnsdall, in the county of Osage and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Rail Joints, or: which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an i1nproved rail joint and provides means for securely and firmly joining the ends of rail sections without the use of bolts or fish plates. I

An essential object of the invention is to provide an interlocking joint for rail road rails whereby the latter may be securely and firmly connected together through the length of the track and held against vertical or longitudinal creeping movement.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In the drawing: 7

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the proposed rail-joint Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof Figure 3 is a transverse longitudinal section taken horizontally thru the joint as indicated on line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of two rail-joint units.

Describing the invention in detail A and B respectively designate rail sections having their adjacent ends constructed as shown to advantage in Figure 1 so as to interlock with one another to provide the joint. The

base of rail A is cut out adjacent one end to provide a T-shaped tongue 10 the head of which is narrower than the total width of the rail base. Tongue 10 engages in a. correspondingly shaped recess 11 provided in the adjacent end of rail B. 'The web 12 of each rail is thickened at the joint, as indicated at 13, and the thickened portion of rail B terminates in line of the inner Wall of recess 11 so as to provide a shoulder 1 1 on each side of the rail and beyond which the web extends, as indicated at 15. The tread of rail B is cut away to provide a T-shaped head 16 for the web extension 15 as may be seen to advantage in Figure 4:.

Rail A has its tread suitably recessed as at 17 to receive the key head of rail B while the thickened portion 13 of the rail is slotted, as at 18 to receive the web extension 15 of rail B. It will thus be seen that the end of one rail is adapted to be interlockingly engaged with the endot the adjacent rail, the T-heads of both rails serving to prevent their being pulled apart by longitudinal stresses. 1

Web portions 15 and 18 of rails A and B respectively are provided with openings 19 which are adapted to be in alignment when the two rails are joined together. These openings face laterally of the joints and are adapted to be penetrated by a key 20 as indicated in Figure 3. This key has a square shoulder 21 at one end and an opening in the other end for a wedge pin 22 which locks the key in position. This key passes thru the joint near the bottom of the rail and prevents the rails from moving up and down when the joint is locked.

In assembling the joint, rail B is first lined up with rail A and engaged with the latter by being first elevated a slight distance so as to bring recess 11 above tongue 10 and head 16 above recess 17. Rail B may then he moved forwardly until web portion 15 of rail B enters slot 18 of rail A, the side walls of the slot passing in recess 11 and engaging with shoulders 14. will then cause tongues 10 and 16 to respec tively enter the recesses provided to receive them, the locking key being then inserted thru the joint after the rails are properly positioned with respect to one another.

It is not intended that the invention be limited to the precise detail of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing and herein described since it is obvious that various modificationsand variations may be resorted to in connection with the structural features of the joint. And while the drawing illustrates but one end of each rail it is to be understood that both ends of the same rail are to be so equipped as to be usable in a joint of the character herein disclosed.

From the foregoing it is believed that the advantages and novel features of the invention can be readily understood and that fur ther detail description is unnecessary.

Vfilhat is claimed is A rail joint comprising a rail section having the base cut out adjacent one end to provide a T-shaped tongue the head of which is narrower than the total width of the rail base and having a central portion of the tread and web cut away vertically above the T-shaped tongue to provide a narrow recess in the web and a T-shaped slot in the tread positioned reversely with respect to The lowering of rail B to correspond to the said tongue, said second 1'a11 section havlng its Web and tread also cut away to provide a narrow Web portion engageable in the recess of the web of the other rail section and a T-shaped tongue on the tread for engaging in the T sh-aped: slot of the said other rail section; the said narrow Web portion of the second rail section having; its lower edge spaced upward-1y from the open recess in the base sufficiently to to permit passagetherebetween of the T- shaped tongue of the said other rail section; anddocking means including a key adapted to be inserted transversely thru aligned openingsin-the interfitting portions of the Webs of the rail sections.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

JAMES A.- VANIJIVHGIR. 

